Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

D. G. STILLSON. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No; 417,599. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. QFFIQE.

DANIEL C. STILLSON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIQ FIRES-QEXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Iliatent No. 417,599, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed October 19, 1889. Serial No, 327,508. (No model.)

To an iohom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL (3. STILLSON, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of .Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Fire: Extinguishers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic fire-extinguishersofthat kind in o against its seat, is used-a fusible soldered which a low air-press ureis normally contained in the pipes leading to the sprinklers provided with fusible-metal fastenings for nor mally holding a valve against its seat. In

such a system the melting of a fusible fastening in case of a fire liberates the sprinkler-' valve and reduces the. air-pressure in the pipes, causing a valve leading from a watersupply under high pressure to be, opened and the water. forced out through one or more sprinklers. Such a system isfully illustrated in the patent granted February-15, 1887, No.

plug, covering a relief vent or perforation in the sprinkler or pipe, for the purpose of reducing theair-pressure in the pipe system as soon as-such plug is melted off by the heat of the atmosphere in the room, and thus causing the high-pressure water-supply to open the I sprihkler valves and forcing the water through the pipes and out at the sprinklers as soon as the sprinkler valve or valves are liberated.

I11 my aforesaid patent the relief-vent was provided with a single central perforation covered by the plug soldered to it by fusible .metal, which is objectionable, principally on account of the difficulty of draining such relief-vent after the water, has been forced through the-pipe system, and thus preventing,

the ready melting of the'solder that united the plug to the relief-vent in case of a subsequent fire in the-room or building. To obviate this difficulty is the object of my invention, which is constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 represents the invention as applied to a pipe provided with fusible-metal sprinkler-valve-releasing'devices. Fig. 2 represents a cross-section on the line X X shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a detail perspective view of thevent-tube and its soldered plug, and Fig. 4 represents an end view of said vent-tube.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

In Fig. 1, or represents the water-supply pipe, I

normally containing a low pressure of air, as is common in devices of this kind.

b b b represent Ts on said pipe, to which the automatic sprinklers O G O are connected, as usual. I desire to state that I do not-wish to confine myself to any particular automatic sprinklers, as my invention is applicable to any of the well-known forms; but for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown each of said automatic sprinklers as composd of a valve 0, normally held against its seat by means of a pivoted cam-lever c, and a fusible-metal band 0, as is common in the art I to which this invention relates.

. My improved air-pressure relief-vent consists of a nipple d, preferably provided in its inner end with a screw-threaded shank d, that is screwed into a screw-threaded perforation in the side of the T b or pipe 0L. Said nipple d is provided with two longitudinal perforations d" and 01 one. above theother, which perforations go from end to end of said nipple, as shown in Fig. 2. The nipple d is preferably provided with an annular front extension 61 terminating as a conical seat 01 to which the correspondingly-shaped reliefplug e is soldered by means of fusible metal f, as shown in Fig. 2.

I D is a cavity, preferably made in one or both of the parts 01 and e, which cavity is in open communication with the interior of the elbow b or pipe or by means of the longitudinal passages 01 d as shown in Fig. 2.

In case of a fire it is only necessary that a single air-vent in the pipe system should be opened to relieve the air-pressure in the pipes.

All the other air-vents should preferably remain closed, so as to save unnecessary repairs after the fire is put out, and this is accomplished by my improved nipple, which permits the water-supply from the pipes to enter and circulate in the cavities D D of all nipples except the one melted off by the heat in the vicinity thereof, thus preventing unnecessary detachment and dropping off of more than one of the relief-plugs in the system. Such cooling and circulation is obtained by the liquid in passing through one of the longitudinal passages d d and out through the other.

In draining the pipe after a fire the water remaining in the cavity D will flow out through the lower passage (1 as the air enters the upper passage d, thus leaving the nipples perfectly dry and in proper condition for action in case of a fire. To aid in throwing off the plug 6 when the metal f is melted, an expansive spring 9 may be arranged in the cavity D, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I Wish to secure by Letters Patent, and clai1n- 1. An automatic fire-extinguisher consisting of a valve normally held by fusible metal against its seat, and a supply-pipe leading to the extinguisher, combined with an automatic air-vent provided with two longitudinal passages and having a plug soldered to its open DANIEL C. STILLSON.

Vitnesses':

ALBAN ANDREN, MARTHA J. JACKSON.

end by fusible metal, substantially as and for 

